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Early this morning, Pop & Hiss received a letter from Guns N’ Roses co-founder Axl Rose, through his publicist, announcing his decision to not attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday in Cleveland. Written under the greeting, “To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Guns N’ Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern,” Rose explained specifically why he was declining his induction into the Cleveland music institution.

The band, born in Los Angeles in 1985, was announced as an inductee in February alongside the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys and Donovan, among others, leading to instant speculation whether the five core members of Guns N’ Roses circa “Appetite for Destruction” would appear together for the first time since 1993. Guitarist Slash officially departed the band in 1996, followed soon thereafter by other members Duff McKagen and Matt Sorum (original drummer Steven Adler had left a few years earlier, as had Izzy Strandlin).

Rose retained the rights to the band’s name, and over the next decade devoted his time to creating the album “Chinese Democracy,” touring with a revived Guns N’ Roses, and defiantly dismissing any suggestion of a reunion with the original members of the band.

Since February, Rose has remained mum on his plans, even as guitarist Slash has spoken out in favor of a Rock Hall reunion — and acknowledging Rose’s antipathy. “He hates my guts,” Slash told Rolling Stone in early April. “It’s over a lot of different stuff; I don’t even know. There’s just no communication between us. I talk to Duff and Steven, but when it comes to old Guns N’ Roses, there really isn’t anybody that makes decisions.”

In the letter below, Rose specifically criticizes comments by Adler, who speculated to Billboard magazine in 2007 that the band might reunite. Those comments were given by Adler while promoting his own Adler’s Appetite tour, which was timed to support his book, “My Appetite for Destruction.” “I want to finish what we started,” Adler told Billboard then (parentheses and elipses theirs), “and … with the love and support I got from those guys, I think we can (reunite). I’m gonna leave it up to Axl. That’s gonna be Axl’s call, and I love Axl and I know he’ll make the right call.” Below, Rose calls Adler’s comments “reunion lies.” Continuing attempts to reach Adler have not been successful.

German thrash legends HOLY MOSES, are celebrating their 30th anniversary with the new album 30th Anniversary – In the Power Now. Starting today the band is streaming the re-recorded version of their classic song “Def Con II”. Check it out HERE!

HOLY MOSES are giving away the snare skins which have been thrashed by drummer Gerd Lücking throughout the whole recording of 30th Anniversary – In The Power Of Now. Additionally the snare skin has been signed by all HOLY MOSES-members who were involved in the production. All you have to do to catch this unique piece of thrash history is to visit http://www.facebook.com/official.holy.moses until May 31st!

In 2011 Sabina Classen and her HOLY MOSES men secretly locked themselves into the Absurd Studio in Hamburg, Germany to start the recordings for the “30th Anniversary – In The Power Of Now” double album. The new drummer Gerd Lücking (GiftDwarf / ex-Rebellion) took care of the drum tracks on the new record. The album will have new versions of 20 of the most important songs of the 30 years of HOLY MOSES history plus 2 brand new songs.

HOLY MOSES has released a one minute audio preview from one of the new songs from 30th Anniversary – In the Power of Now. The song entitled “Borderland” can be heard HERE.

The band got together in late summer of 1980 in Aachen, Germany. Despite a number of line-up changes in the course of their career, HOLY MOSES have distinguished themselves through a high degree of musical consistency and downright disarming physical energy. They have been touring Europe regularly with thrash classics such as Finished With The Dogs, The New Machine Of Liechtenstein and World Chaos. When the international thrash scene experienced a perceptible slump in the early Nineties, Sabina Classen took time out from HOLY MOSES and founded Temple Of The Absurd. Based on a new lyrical and musical approach, she released two albums with her new band and reactivated HOLY MOSES at the beginning of the new millennium, followed by numerous shows all over the world, performances at important festivals such as the W:O:A and With Full Force, the Pusam Festival in South Korea, and the release of successful recordings such as Disorder Of The Order (2002), Strength, Power, Will, Passion (2005) and Agony Of Death (2008).

HOLY MOSES are alive and kicking and are set to cheat the grim reaper for years to come!

“30th Anniversary – In The Power Of Now” will be released through SPV/Steamhammer in Germany on April 20th, in Europe on April 23rd and in the USA/Canada on May 22nd as a high class digipak with an extensive booklet feat. liner notes, rare photos and much more.

I recently completed my collection of Saxon’s discography, and one of the last CD’s I picked up, turned out to be one of my favorite Saxon releases ever. I don’t know how I managed to miss Forever Free the first time around, but it has been a mainstay in my playlist since I received the CD.

From the opening number”Forever Free” to the final cut “Cloud Nine”, Forever Free rocks all the way through, without a bad tune in the bunch.

The title track “Forever Free” is one of the most powerful Saxon songs ever. I don’t know if they play this one live today (I have never seen Saxon live), but they should if they don’t.

Saxon’s cover of Willie Dixon’s “Just Wanna Make Love To You” is quite unique, and they made it completely their own. It is quite different from the version made famous by Foghat on their 1972 debut.

“Get Down and Dirty” has a touch of hair metal flair that is absolutely awesome. I love this song!

“Iron Wheels” is the only ballad on Forever Free, but is a solid tune that is worth many repeat plays.

Paul Quin and Graham Oliver really tear it up on “One Step Away”. Guitar lovers are going to love this track.

If there was a theme song that ever fit my life, “Can’t Stop Rockin” would be the song I would choose. I am dumbfounded at how I missed out on this song for nearly two decades.

Every time I hear “Nighthunter”, I want to crank the stereo up, and rip the knob off. This is another killer Saxon anthem.

The closing number “Cloud Nine” has music that sounds like an amalgam of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher”, and Sammy Hagar’s “There’s Only One Way To Rock”. This song closes out Forever Free the same way it started…..rockin’ out! I wouldn’t have it any other way!

July 2nd, 2012 is the 20th anniversary of Forever Free. I can’t believe it took me nearly twenty years to check this one out, but I am glad I did.

Forever Free was reissued in 2002 with two bonus live tracks, “Princess In The Night” and “Forever Free”. If you missed this CD the first time around like me, you can pick up a copy at this link. I highly recommend it!

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the May 29 release of Foreigner’s Alive & Rockin’, recorded at one of Europe’s most popular Hard Rock fests, the 2006 Bang Your Head Festival in Balingen, Germany. This 9-track concert, previously released on DVD only (Eagle Rock Entertainment) is now available for the first time on CD. [MSRP $13.98]

“My initial musical vision for Foreigner was to combine blues and R’n’B with British Rock and make it sound soulful and authentic,” says guitarist Mick Jones. “I’d grown up in England and had the English influence but I was also inspired by many elements of American music from Mississippi blues to country. Foreigner was the vehicle to get that musical blend across.”

That “blend” was never more evident than on this rockin’ night as Jones—with vocalist Kelly Hansen, drummer Jason Bonham, keyboardist Jeff Jacobs, multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel (guitars, saxophone, flute) and bassist Jeff Pilson—knocked out a crowd-pleasing set that included eight U.S. Top 20 hits including anthems “Juke Box Hero” “Cold As Ice” and “Hot Blooded.”

This most beloved of Classic Rock bands has been serving up the hits for over 30 years. With over 70 million records sold worldwide, they’re second only to Led Zeppelin on the Atlantic Records roster in total album sales. Jones, producer of 10 of Foreigner’s multi-platinum albums, has composed some of the most memorable riffs in rock history. After forming Spooky Tooth with Gary Wright in the early 1970s, he left his native England to move to New York in 1976 and formed Foreigner.

Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, Audio and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, High Definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Queen, The Doors, Jeff Beck, U2, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne. Eagle is a Grammy Award winning company and has received over 30 multi-platinum, over 50 platinum and over 90 gold discs, worldwide. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices in London, New York, Toronto, Paris and Hamburg.